The Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC) Programme, funded by the European Union and implemented by International IDEA, in collaboration with the Edo state government, organised an event on the 22nd of August 2024.
The session aimed to review the Edo State Integrity and Accountability Strategy (EDSIAS) status and identify key challenges in finding the process and solutions for its adoption and implementation in Edo state. Thereby, reshaping the way government institutions operate by implanting the six core principles into their processes: prevention of corruption, public engagement, ethical reorientation, enforcement and sanctions, assets recovery and management, and ease of doing business. This strategy is designed to tackle corruption from a legal and institutional standpoint and at the community level by fostering ethical governance.
The event was attended by participants from various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) in Edo State. Key stakeholders, including the Head of Service and top-level government officials, deliberated on the challenges stalling the final adoption and implementation of EDSIAS, a strategic policy developed with RoLAC’s support during its first phase.
The Governor of Edo State had previously mandated mainstreaming social accountability across all state MDAs, signalling the administration’s commitment to good governance. However, despite this mandate, the full formalization and implementation of EDSIAS have seen limited progress. To address this, RoLAC II is stepping in to help expedite the adoption process through high-level advocacy.
The roundtable event provided a platform for key government functionaries to review progress thus far, identify roadblocks, and propose solutions. One of the recurring themes was the lack of coordination between ongoing anti-corruption initiatives and inadequate monitoring of these efforts.
Several follow-up actions were recommended as a result of the roundtable discussions. The roundtable organized by RoLAC underscores the importance of multi-stakeholder collaboration in tackling corruption and promoting good governance. With a strategy like EDSIAS, Edo State is poised to lead by example in demonstrating how state governments can be accountable to their citizens, ensuring that public resources are managed transparently and responsibly.
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